Candle-making machine.



E. J. ENGMAN.

CANDLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLlCATION FILED JULY 22,1914.

Patented J an. 18, 1916.

6 $HEETSSHEET I.

Tm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0. WASHINGTON, D. r

E. J. ENGMAN.

CANDLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1914.

1,168,938, Patenfed Jan. 18, 1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2- E. J. ENGMAN.

CANDLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, um.

Patented Ja n. 18, 1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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E. I. ENGMAN.

CANDLE MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATIONHLE'D JULY 2 2, 1914.

.1,1685938 Patented Jan. 18, 1916. s SHEETSSHEET 4.

1 ll 7hr 58- I z/y zlv-jij J7 Trazrrvay.

Tm: COLUMBIA PLANDBRAPH 0)., WASHINGTON, n. C.

E. J. ENGMAN.

CANDLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, I9l4,. 1,168,988.

Patented J an. 18, 1916.

6 SHEETSSHEET 5. 1,4 J 1W 54. 2 By I Tm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. n. c

E. J. ENGMAN.

CANDLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man JULY 22, 1914.

1,168,938, Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Mb WOLFM J7 TTOENC).

TIIL COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII co., WASHINGTON. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFKQE. V

EVALD J. ENGMAN, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE TILL & BAUMEB COMPANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CANDLE-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 18, 1916.

Application filed July 22, 1914. Serial No. 852,397.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, EvALn J. ENGMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Candle-Making Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying draw istratlon with the finishing dies.

ings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements 1n candle making machines, as applied, more particularly to the molding or finishing of the bases or holder-ends of such candles.

The main object is-to provide a more eX peditious and economical method of finishing the ends of the candles to the desired form and size than has heretofore been practised whereby the output fora given period of time may be greatly increased.

with a corresponding reduction in the amount of labor employed and at the same time establishing greater uniformity in the form and size and smoothness of finish of such candle ends.

Another object is to provide simple mechanism operating in synchronismwvith the forming means for softening the ends .of. the candles just prior to their being fed into the finishing molds.

Other objects and uses relating to specificparts of the machine will be brought out in the following description.

In the draWings-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a candle finishing machine embodying the various features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same machine. Fig 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 33, Fig.2. Fig.

at is a horizontal sectional view in the plane of the main driving shaft taken on line el-- at, F ig. 8. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 55, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the carrier feed taken on line 6-6,

Fig. 2. Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse vertical 7 sectional 'views taken respectively in the plane of line 77, Fig. 3, and on line 8-8, Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of the candle finishing dies and also the jaws for gripping the candles and feeding them end foremost into the finishingdies, the adjacent portion of the jaw operating mechanism and stamping die being shown inelevation. Fig. 10 is a ver tical section of the vat for the candle softening fluid and means for conveying the can- OancZZe softening deoice.The candles -a' which are previously molded by any well known method to approximately the desired size and form are placed by hand in an upright position in a rotary carrier 1 having the lower portion thereof movable within a heater vat or tank 2- containing a bodyof hot water or other suitable heat ing fluid for softening the bases or lower ends of the candles preparatory to molding or finishing such ends by associated mechanism hereinafter described.

The carrier l comprises 7 a vertical shaft 3- journaled in a central bearing -l in the vat 2 andhaving secured thereto a sleeve 5 carrying circular plates 6 and 7- which are held in spaced relation one above the other by diametrically opposite stays 8- and 9, the shaft 3 being also provided with a circular plate -10 adjustable vertically thereon above the plate 7- and held in its adjusted position by a set screw 11.

.The bottom plate 6 is imperforate and disposed below the water level to form a rest for the lower ends' of the candles, while the plates 7 and l0 are preferably disposed above the water level and are provided with concentric rows of apertures 12- arranged in vertical alinement to hold the candles in upright positions thereby causing the lower ends of such candles to be moved through the heating fluid to soften the same, the object of the vertical adjustment of the upper plate 7 being to adapt the carrier for candles of different lengths.

The heating fluid, as water, may be supplied to thevat -2 through a supply pipe and synchronized with the movement of the candle finishing mechanism by means of a ratchet wheel -16 on the lower end of the shaft 3-- and a pawl -17' which is mounted on a rock arm -18,' the latter being loosely mounted on the lower end of said shaft and connected to an eccentric .19 v

belts 25 mounted in spaced relation upon sprocket drums 26' and: provided with concave candle supporting seats 27 which are alined transversely of the 'belts and serve to register the candles in pairs between suitable jaws 28 and into registration with cooperative finishing or molding dies 29 andi30 where the desired form and finish is imparted to the bases of the candles'after which the finished candles are discharged by the same conveyer belts to a delivery table 8l (the receiving and delivery tables being shown by dotted lines).

The sprockets .-26 are secured to suitable shafts.32 and -32, which are journaled upon a main supporting frame 33 at the front and rear of the finishing dies 29- and 30 and are operated intermittingly from the main driving shaft 20 by means of a cam 34 and a rock-arm -35 which is connected by a link 36 to a crank arm 37carrying a pawl -38 for engaging a ratchet wheel 39 on the shaft -32 and thereby rotating said wheel one tooth space at atime, the rock-arm being provided with a roller --iO-- held against the face of the cam by a retracting spring i1 Fig. 4c.

The main shaft 20 is provided with a tightpulley 4:2 adapted to be belted to any available source of power for transmitting the desired speed of rotation to said shaft, while the mechanism just previously described for impartingintermittent movement to the conveyer -25 is so constructed and timed as to cause the candle holders -27 to be successively passed in pairs to a certain point, 1n this lnstance in reg stration with the gripping and feedlng aws -28,

preparatory to forcing the registering can 'd'les endwise into their respective dles or I so molds29 and 30''. The upper sides of the link belts -25- travel in a. substantially horizontal plane a 7 plane as to cause the candles resting upon their respective seats 2'7 to be substantially coaxial with the dies 30-, and in order to accomplish this in a simplemanner and with a practical degree of accuracy, the

- any of their adjusted positions.

Thelocking pin 51 is adapted to enter any one of a series of apertures which may 7 be formed in a radial line in the adjacent portion of theframe -33 each aperture be ng in a different concentric circle corresponding to those concentric circles in which the eccentric row of apertures 5O' are 10- cated thereby establishing .a close adjustment for the guides t3 and at the same time'preventing the insertion of the locking pin 51 into any other aperture in the i frame except the aperture 50' corresponding therewith. I

The conveyer 25 is operated only when the jaws -28 and 29 are in their normal open positions, but as soon as it hasv completed one of its movements in the act of registering a pair of candles with the jaws -28 and 29 and also with the dies 30, the jaws 28- which are locked in a vertical plane between the two link belts nearest to the dies 30- are brought together upon the interposed portions of the. candles to grip the same with suflicient firmness to move them endwise between the jaw dies 29- and intothe socket dies 30, and for this purpose the jaws 28 are mounted in suitable heads -52- having stems or plunger rods 53 guided in vertical bearings 54 and operably connected to the adjacent ends of suitable levers-55 and"56; These levers are fulcrumed intermediate their ends at 57 -58 which is movable at right angles to the direction of movement of the conveyer 25 and therefore parallelwith the axes of the candles and socket dies '30, so that when the candles are gripped'by the jaws -28 their previously softened ends may be forced into the socket dies .30 to impart the desired conformation thereto, preparatory to beingadditionally'molded by the jaw dies 29 in a manner presently described. The j aw supporting heads -52 are therefore reciprocated toward and from eachother by means of the levers55- and '56 and are held against turning by guide pins -59 which are slidable in apertures 60- in the frame 58, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

The lever 55 is connected directly to a collar 6lwhich is adjustably mounted on the lower jaw stem 53 and is held in its adjusted position by a set screw 62, the upper lever 56being connected to a collar -63- which has a limited sliding movement on the upper stem 53 between two collars 64, which are also adjustably mounted on the stem -53 and are held in their adjusted position by set screws 65-, a spring 66 being interposed between the collar -63- and the underlying collar 65 to permit the jaws 2S to be brought together upon the candle under yielding pressure, so as to avoid mutilation of the candle.

In order that thesame jaws 28- may be used for gripping candles of different diameters, they are rotatably mounted in their respective heads 52 and are each provided with a plurality of, in this instance four, concave seats 67 of different radii and are adjusted so that the concave seats of the same radii of opposed jaws face each other, said jaws being held in their adjusted position by removable locking pins 68-, as shown in Fig. 3.

When the candles are brought into registration with the jaws 2 by the movement of the conveyor 25, said jaws are closed upon the candle to grip the same preparatory to feeding them endwise into the socket dies -30-, and for this purpose the outer ends of the levers 55 and 56- are provided with open-ended slots 69 and -70 and cam faces 71 and 72 for engaging rollers 73 on the opposite ends of an upright lever 7 l which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends at 75- upon the head of the U-shaped frame 5S- as shown more clearly in Figs. 8 and 9, said cams being reversely arranged and of such inclination as to move the jaws 28 equal distances toward each other as the lever 'M is rocked in one direction, the pertions of the outer ends of the levers at the inner sides of the slots G9 and 70- constituting cams -76- and 77 so constructed as to operate the levers 55 and 56- to restore the jaws 28 to their normal open positions when the lever 74.- is moved in the opposite direction.

The means for actuating the lever 74 consist of an upright lever -7S fulcrumed at 79 upon the main supporting frame 3 below the main driving shaft -20 and provided intermediate its ends with a roller bearing 80 adapted to be engaged by opposite cams 81 and -82 on a sleeve -83- which is secured to themain shaft EL- the upper end of the lever 78 being engaged with a roller 84.

on the lower end of the lever 'M and coaxial with, the roller -73-, so that when the lever -78 is operated in one direction by the cam 8l it will impart motion to the lever -7+land cause the rollers 73 to ride up their respective cams 71 and 72 to operate the corresponding levers oo and o6 for closing the jaws 28 upon the candle, in which position the jaws will remain until the cam 82 operates the lever 78 in the opposite direction to restore the jaws to their normal open positions, such operations taking place once during each revolution of the main driving shaft.

The reciprocatory frame 58.- is held in its upright position against turning by guide pins S5 projecting from the adj acent portion of the main supporting frame 33 into guide openings 86- in said head, which latter is provided with a horizontal projecting stem or red -87 movable axially in a bearing 88- on the main supporting frame, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The outer end of the stem 87 is provided with an adjustable collar 89 held in place by a set screw 90 and engaged by an upright lever -l which is fulerumed at --92 on the main supporting frame ---33- below the main driving shaft 20- and has its intermediate portion provided with a roller bearing 93 riding in a grooved cam 94C on said main driving shaft, the cam 9 lbeing so constructed as to reciprocate the frame -58 and jaws 28- carried thereby a suh icient distance to enter the bases of the candles held by said jaws into and out of the die sockets 80, this operation following immediately after the jaws 2S have been forced to their gripping positions upon the candles, it being understood that the action of the lever -'zr to open and close the aws 28- is entirely independent of the reciprocatory movement of the frame -58- which carries the lever land jaws -2S- bodily back and forth toward and from the die socket 3-0-. These die sockets 30 are, in this instance, conical or tapered outwardly and corrugated transversely to impart a corresponding corrugated finish to the softened ends of the candles, and are spaced apart side by side a distance corresponding to the spacings of the candle-holders or seats 2? of each pair, so that two of the candles may beeperated upon at a time, and when their softened ends are forced into the conical sockets .30--- they will be slightly enlarged at the bases of the cones by reason of the fact that a portion of the'material displaced from the smaller ends of the cones will be forced baclr toward the main body of the candles, and this candlematerial which is thus forced back is utilized to form a fillet or bead a at the base of the cone, said bead or fillet being formed by the jaws 29.

At about the same time that the softened ends of the candles are forced into the die sockets 30, these jaws 29- are closed by means of a lever '95- which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends at 96 upon the main supporting frame '38 and has its opposite ends provided with rollers 97 and '98 in cooperative engage- .ment respectively with cam levers '99' and -100-. These cam levers are secured to rock shafts 10l and 102 on the main supporting frame and their free ends are provided with cam' faces 1O3 and l0at adapted to be engaged by their respective rollers 97 and -9S- for closing the jaws when the lever 95 is rocked in one direction, said cam levers being provided with additional cams "105- and lO6- adapted to be engaged by the corresponding rollers for open ng sald aws when the lever -95 1S rocked 1n the opposite direction.

The rock shafts are provided with crank arms 107' and -108 pivotally connected to their respective jaws 29 for imparting reciprccatory motion thereto in reverse directions, the jaw being guided'in ways 109 on the main supporting frame 33- so as to travel in close proximity to the adjacent face of the die sockets 30 and are provided with semi circular recesses '110-- to form the beads on the adapted to be operated against the action of retracting springs 115- b y means of a crank arm 1l6- mounted upon a rock shaft 117 and provided with oppositely projecting studs or pins ll8 for moving the plungers inwardly simultaneously.

The rock shaft -l17 is provided with a crank arm +119 to which is pivotally connected the upper end of a rod or link 120 having its lower end guided in a suitable bearing -12l on the main supporting frame 33 and engaged with a periphery of a face cam 122 on the main shaft 20, as shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 9. V

; The means for actuating the lever 95- for opening and closing the jaws 29 consists of a lever 123 fulcrumed at 124 to the main supporting frame -33 below the main shaft 20 and having its inter mediate portion provided with a roller l25 riding in a cam groove -126 of a cam disk -127 also on the main shaft 20., it being understood that the cam .122 is timed to operate the printing or stamping dies or plungers -11 lwhile the base of the candle is being molded in the conical die 30 and while the jaws 28- and 29 are still closed upon the candle and the jaws 28' are shifted to their extreme position toward the die sockets 30-.

The caps 113 are provided with air vents -12Sf leading from the smaller ends of their respective die sockets 30- to the atmosphere to relieve the candles and also the plungers 1.l-1 from excessive air pressure or suction when moving into and out of said sockets.

The collar 89 is slidably mounted on the outer end of the stem 87 of the reciprocatory frame 5S and engages a spring buffer -l29 which is interposed between the outer end of said collar and a stop nut,

-130 so as to permit the candles to be forced into the die sockets 30-- by the gripping jaws -28- undera yielding pressure, which aids materially in causing the dies 29- and -30 to impartthe desired finish to the candles.

Theoperation briefly described is as follows: The partially formed candles are placed by hand in the apertures of the carrier 1 with their lower ends dipping in the heated fluid in the chamber 2- so that as the carrier is rotated a whole or a part of a revolution, the bases of the candles are gradually softened; The candles are then removed from the carrier and placed upon the table 28-, where they are engaged by the conveyer 25 and fed in uniformly spaced relation between the open jaws 28 with their softened bases in register with the finishing dies or molds 29 and 30. The movement of the conveyer 25 then ceases temporarily while the jaws 28 are closed upon the main bodies oft-he candles to firmly grip and hold the same, whereupon the closed jaws with the candles between them are moved endwise to enter the bases of the candles between the then open jaws 29 and into the sockets --3 0 Immediately following the entrance of the bases of the candles into the sockets 30. for impartmg the desired configuration to said bases,

the molding sections or jaws 29 are closed upon the ad acent portion of said bases to impart additional ornamental con figuration thereto, thus giving the bases of the candles the desired finish. While the candle is thus held, the plungers -l1% are advanced against the end face of the candle base to leave their imprint, which may be a trade-mark, thereon, thus completing the molding operation of the base of the candle. The plunger-s --lld are then withdrawn and the jaws 29- opened, whereupon the jaws -28, which still remain closed upon the candle, are returned to their starting positions and automatically opened to de posit the candles upon the same rests of the conveyer 25 from which they were previously displaced, after which said conveyer is again advanced one step or two candle spaces to present another pair of candles to the gripping jaws 28 preparatory to a repetition. of the operation just described, each operation of linishingthe candles taking place once during each revolution of the main driving shaft 20.

hat I claim is:

1. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, a die having a socket, means for gripping a candle and forcing it endwise into said socket and a conveyer for feeding the candles to the gripping means.

2. I11 a machine for molding the ends of candles, a socketed die and a candle gripping device movable one in relation to the other for forcing one end of a candle into the die, means for effecting such movement, and additional means for conveying the candles to the gripping device.

3. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, a socketed die and a candle gripping device movable one in relation to the other for forcing one end of a candl'e'into the die, means for effecting such movement, and means for feeding the candles sidewise into the gripping device.

4. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, a socketed die and a candle gripping device movable one in relation to the other for forcing one end of a candle into the die, means for effecting such movement, additional means for conveying the candles to the gripping device and relatively movable die sections having semicircular meeting faces enlarged at their ends adjacent the die to receive the candle material forced up by the entrance of the candle into said die.

5. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, a die having a conical socket, op

posed die sections movable radially across the open end of said socket and provided with semicircular meeting faces enlarged at their ends adjacent the die, mechanism for gripping a candle and advancing it endwise between said die-sections'and into the socket, mechanism for feeding the candles to the gripping device and additional mechanism for operating the die sections all of said mechanisms being synchronized and deriving motion from the same source.

6. In a machillfi 1 9. molding the ends of candles, a die having a socket, a candle gripping devicemovable toward and from the die and having transversely movable jaws, and mechanism for closing and opening said jawsa conveyer moving in synchronism with said mechanism for feeding the candles between the open jaws, and an additional mechanism for moving the closed jaws with the candle therein toward and from the die.

7. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, a socketed die, a candle gripping device, mechanism for shifting the gripping device toward and from the die to force the end of the candle into the socket, and an endless conveyer. for feeding candles to the gripping device.

8. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, a socketed die, a candle gripping device, means for shifting the gripping device towardand from the die to force the end of the candle into the socket, additional means for feeding candles to the gripping devicefa candle heating apparatus having a rotary carrier for the candles, and means synchronized with said feeding means for rotating the carrier.

. 9. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, the combination of a mold, means including a rotary candle carrier for sub-- jecting the bases of the candles to a softening influence, means for rotating said carrier, and mechanism operating in synchronism with the carrier for conveying the softened candles into and out of the mold.

10. In a machine for molding the ends of, candles, the combination of a plurality of parallel molds open at the same end, a gripping device for a corresponding number of candles movable toward and from the open ends of the mold for forcing the candles endwise therein, and an endless conveyer for feeding the candles in equal numbers and in succession to the gripping devices.

11. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, the combination of a device for softoning the ends of the candles including a rotary carrier therefor, a mold for receiving the end of the candles, mechanism for gripping and feeding the candles endwise into the mold, and additional mecha nism moving in synchronism with the rotary carrier for conveying the softened candles to the gripping and feeding device.

12. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, the combination of a mold, gripping jaws for the candle, means for opening and closing the aws, additional means for moving the jaws toward and from the mold, and an endless conveyer for feeding the candles between the open jaws.

13. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, means for softening such ends including a rotary candle carrier, in combi nation with a mold for receiving the sof 1 feeding device.

tened ends of the candles, a main driving shaft, a candle gripping and feeding device for moving the candles endwise into the mold, and ineans for transmitting motion from themain shaft to the gripping and 1a. In a machine for molding the ends of candles, means-for softening such ends in-,

cluding rotary'candle carrier,'in combination with a mold for'receiving the softened ends of the candles, a main driving shaft, a candle gripping and feeding device for moving the candles endwise into the mold, means for transmitting motion from the main shaft to the gripping and feeding device, an endless conveyer for feeding the candles to the feeding and gripping device, and means for transmitting motion from the main driving shaft to said conveyor. 7

15. In a machine for moldingthe ends of candles, the combination of a socketed mold, gripping jaws movable toward and from each other transversely of the produced axis of the mold for gripping the periphery of the candles, said gripping jaws having an independent movement toward and from the mold for feeding the candles endwise there-V into, means for opening, and closing the jaws, and additional means for moving'said jaws toward and from the mold.

l6. In a machine for molding the endsof candles, the combination of a mold consist- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ing of a socketed memberiand a pair of mold sections movable acrossthe open end of the socketed' member, means for operating said mold sections, and means for gripping and feeding the candle endwise between said sections and into the socketed member comprising a pair of jaws movable transversely of the produced axis of the socketed member for gripping the periphery of the candle, said jaws having an, independent movement toward and from the movable mold sections.

17. In a machine for molding the ends "of candles, the combination of a mold consisting of a socketed member and a pair of mold sections movable across the open end of the socketedf member, means for operating said mold sections, means for gripping and feeding the candle endwise between said sections and into the socketed member comprising a pair of jaws movable transversely of the produced axis of the socketed member for gripping the periphery of the candle, said jaws having an independent movement toward and from the movable mold sections, and an endless conveyer for feeding the candles to the gripping jaws. V

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand'this 20th day of July, 1914.

EVALD J ENGMAN. 1 \Vitnesses:

H. E. Cinisn, VIOLA HOVVLAND.

ifivecents eachQby addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. V 

